Traveling Souls
by ilikepie2013
Summary: Harry and Ginny Potter have lost everyone. It's time they did something about it. Reality itself was about to change. Rating a precaution. AU, HP/GW, R/Hr, etc. Time travel and Soul Bond fic. Beta needed.
1. Three Colors

A/N: Okay, so this is going to be my first attempt at a Soul Bond story. I just have a few problems:

First, I have no idea if it's any good, so constructive criticism is greatly appreciated.

Second, I am also in desperate need of a beta. I'm not a very good writer, and I need some major feedback from someone, preferably someone with experience in Harry/Ginny stories, but right now I'd take just about anyone If you're interested, please send me a PM.

Third, I can't ever seem to get my chapters very long like so many of my favorite authors can. If anyone has any suggestions for this, please let me know.

Fourth, I guarantee nothing in regards to time span between updates. Sorry. :/

Sorry, fourth post of this chapter, I know, I know.

A moth fluttered around the bright burning flame of a candle as the stars flickered outside the window, reflecting off of black glassy water. One candle, with one flame, floating in the air above some odd silver trinkets. The flame reflected by three colors – twinkling blue, emerald green, and a deep chocolate brown. How a portrait can reflect flame, we may never know. Perhaps it was the magic in the room. Or perhaps, merely a figment of the imagination.

Two colors melted into the others, but they were alone. Completely alone, in an empty, drafty castle, these two people. There should have been hundreds, but there were two people, and one portrait. Luckily for the two people, they were in the company of the most brilliant portrait in Britain.

The portrait of one Albus Dumbledore.

That fact however, is not extremely important at this moment.

The love that the two people held for each other was greater than any seen in their life. A love so wholesome and untainted, that it would last eternities and outlive empires. A love so amazingly clear that it would put a certain locked room in the Department of Mysteries to shame. A love that had not been seen in fact, for many life times. Such love had not been seen for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years. A love worthy of the couple it pertained to.

This love, would explain the golden glow that surrounded the couple at that moment in time. A gold that put the sun to shame, and made phoenixes around the world tremble, and worth more than any in Gringotts.

The gold flashed for but a moment, but that moment would last for eternity.

The portrait at this point, had tears crinkling out of bright, piercing blue eyes, and onto wrinkled cheeks. A smile then creased the cheeks, and softly, so as not to interrupt the moment too terribly, chuckled.

"Well, that certainly solves most of our problems, does it not?"

A calloused hand caressed a soft cheek.

"Indeed it does, Sir." The raven haired, green eyed man replied. He sighed. "Indeed it does."

Harry and Ginny Potter had lost everyone. Every family member or friend imagined had been wiped out of existence. Sometimes via a sickly green light, others by veil. The world unfortunately kept turning, forcing those left behind to carry on and pick up the broken pieces of their lives.

But what if, perhaps, just maybe, the broken pieces could be, reformed? That those lost could return? Every scholarly work has pushed the idea aside. The thought that someone would alter an entire timeline, putting time and space into a precarious position, merely to save a life? Merely to save an existence? No one could be so reckless, so foolish, so bold.

Obviously, the said scholars had never met Harry and Ginny Potter.

Harry Potter, almost twenty eight, had seen more death and destruction than probably even Nicolas Flamel in his lifetime. He never knew his parents, and steadily had everyone he loved ripped away from him, slowly and methodically. Everyone, except for Ginny Potter.

Ginny Potter (formerly Weasley), nearly twenty seven, had been beaten in the "death and destruction department "only by her husband, mentioned above. Tricked into opening the Chamber of Secrets at age eleven, and like her husband, had all of her loved ones, slowly and methodically ripped away from her.

They grew weary of missing a red head, or being reminded of a Marauder, or feeling the gaping hole ripped open at the thought of a Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or even a Slytherin. And the reckless, foolish, bold _people_ that they were, they decided to do something about it.

Voldemort had been defeated, but only just. The cost was much too high.

Ginny was the only one left of the nine Weasleys that Harry had come to love as family (although Percy had worked to earn that love back). The only one! No more pranks by Fred and George. No more undefeatable chess matches against Ron. No more lectures from Mrs. Weasley about his weight, and no more questions about Muggles from Mr. Weasley.

Ron and Hermione Weasley perished in the collapse of the Death Chamber in the Department of Mysteries, falling through the Veil of Death after an admirable battle.

The Marauders were long gone, with Remus Lupin, the last of the _three_ Marauders demise had occured in very same room of his long time friend, a Mr. Padfoot, and his wife, Nymphadora (though woe to you if you call her that.) Tonks Lupin.

Rubeus Hagrid was trampled by raging hippogriffs and acromantulas in the Last Battle of Hogwarts. How one tramples a half giant is beyond me, but that is neither here nor there.

Minerva McGonagall, was finished, battling Bellatrix Lestrange had been too much for the old cat.

Severus Snape died at the hands of the one he once called master, with less than a handful of people and a portrait aware of his true loyalty.

The Potters could no longer tolerate this! This longing, this missing, this pain of the soul. Though, they at least they had each other. And that fact alone would change reality.

Another Author's Note: This chapter has already been reposted three times, and will probably continue to do so as it shapes and grows better, with any luck. Thank you all for your patience!


	2. Time is of the Essence and Minor Flaws

A/N: I just wanted to say thanks to the six reviews that I received so far for Chapter One, as well as the numerous Story Alerts (thirteen, to be exact). This is enough of a positive response that I will continue the story as quickly as I can without sacrificing quality. Speaking of which, I just wanted to let you all know how much I would truly appreciate a beta. If anyone knows of a beta with Harry/Ginny experience, please let me know. I apologize, in the mean time, for any lacking quality that you may encounter. Okay I'm done with that.

I realize that some parts (especially in this chapter) read more as an essay. Eventually, I would like this story to be worthy to post on SIYE (Sink Into Your Eyes – the best Harry/Ginny site out there, closely followed by PhoenixSong). The value of SIYE stories always strikes me as excellent, and at some point I would like to submit this story on there. Again, anyone interested in beta-ing, _please_ send me a PM. Now I'm honestly done.

I will note that Harry and Ginny are more powerful. This should be an obvious result of a Soul Bond, no? They are not however, ALL powerful. They have been training for _ten_ _years in addition to Hogwarts _before they got the Bond, and are therefore going to be naturally powerful. New powers will also be awakened, but not to the extent of many other Soul Bond fics that you may have read. Also, wandless magic is hard, but not to the extent of "there have only been four wizards in history…" you get the idea. They aren't super heroes, but they aren't your average wizards off the street, either. Now, onto the story.

* * *

As the Hogwarts clock tower ticked and tocked into the blackness of night, Harry Potter's forehead was creased with worry.

"Professor, you're sure that this will work?" Harry said as he watched the spinning golden mist in front of him. He rarely doubted the portrait, but when it came to Ginny's safety…

_Harry, love, stop worrying before I Bat Bogey you. We'll be fine. How often is he _actually_ wrong?_

A rather nice, although sometimes infuriating result of Harry and Ginny's recently formed Soul Bond, was their ability to communicate through their minds, and sense the other's thoughts. They could sift through the other's memories at will.

The ability had some interesting nicknames. Ginny dubbed it Telepathic Talk, Harry said Soul Speech, but they didn't have to refer to it in general very often. They wanted to see what Fred and George came up with, what with their affinity for alliterations.

Dumbledore's portrait chuckled at the sight before him. Ginny raised her eyebrows as Harry let a relieved smile through, erasing the worry lines that had occupied the space a few moments earlier. Although the expressions were no doubt appropriate in a normal conversation, they looked quite out of place in the silence that had graced the office.

Interrupting their silent conversation, he added, "Harry, I cannot say for certain that this will come out exactly as we planned, but I am sure that together, you and Mrs. Potter will accomplish much."

The pair smiled as a light blush covered their cheeks.

* * *

When Harry and Ginny had first approached the portrait with the idea of such a large scale piece of time travel, he was unsure of how to proceed. Nonetheless, if anyone could pull it off, he had no doubts that it would be the duo in front of him. That, and there was no stopping a Potter _or_ a Weasley once their mind was set.

It took a great deal of research through books both the Headmaster's personal library and that of the Potter Family Vault ( a vault differing than the trust fund that Harry had once visited with Hagrid before his First Year) before the duo came to a conclusion. Dumbledore had recommended the idea, but information was scarce.

Harry and Ginny could send their essence, that is, their memories, opinions, magical knowledge, and back through time.

So many things could go wrong. So many minor flaws could be ripped into gaping holes…

One such flaw was that the essence would be stuck in their former bodies, with less physical capabilities and a smaller magical core. The flaw was extremely small, though, and could easily be remedied with some hard work on their part. They would need to be extremely careful not to change too much, too quickly, or their foreknowledge could easily become useless.

The main problem, in the opinion of the Potters, was that Harry and Ginny would have to be able to communicate freely, and random owls showing up at either The Burrow or Privet Drive would look extremely suspicious. They were wary of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery as well. The pair would have to build up their magical cores as quickly as possible, and once they got a wand with a tracer on it… They were done for.

Who would they tell of their time travel? How soon would they tell? It was mostly a matter of guessing, and some would find out sooner than others through unpredictable circumstances without a doubt…

How would they be able to go without seeing each other for such amounts of time? A seven year old girl would only be able to sneak out so many times.

Then, of course, the answer to their questions had come along. An answer not seen in approximately six and a half centuries (or depending on which way you look at it, only seventeen years), since Nicolas and Perenelle Flamel themselves. A Soul Bond.

Not only did it allow Soul Speech (or Telepathic Talk) as well as the sharing of powers, and numerous things yet to be discovered or remembered, it was such a rare phenomenon that once Bonded, a pair were considered adults in the Wizarding World.

Of course, Harry and Ginny could go to Hogwarts, if for nothing else, to keep up appearances, but freedom was now within their grasp. They could practice magic without restraint, Harry would not have to live with the Dursleys, and they had access to all of Harry's family assets, since Soul Bonds warranted full access in Gringotts as well.

The Potters didn't only have money. They had a homey manor in Devonshire, (complete with its own Quidditch Pitch, to the Potters' mutual delight), books that would make Hermione drool, some useful magical items, and numerous homes around the world.

Potters, as a general rule, however, didn't flaunt their wealth like some _other_ families. They mostly kept to themselves, and so few knew the true extent of their affluence. Personally, Harry was looking forward to taking Ginny to the Yule Ball in some robes from Lionfire Hall, the informal name of their Devonshire mansion.

The Soul Bond had greatly increased the power between Harry and Ginny. They picked up new spells with ease and found their wandless magic simpler than before.

At any rate, versus most of the Wizarding community, the pair would be nearly unstoppable. Even Dumbledore would have trouble manipulating them this time around. Of course, he would realize this once they showed them their memories of this reality. His portrait had warned them that his former self might try to incapacitate their foreknowledge, but they couldn't be obliviated with the Soul Bond. The Soul Bond also formed a natural Occlumency shield that nothing could touch.

Perhaps one of the most useful traits of their bond was what they had dubbed "swinging." Swinging was a personal form of transportation– it was similar to apparition, but they couldn't be stopped by wards, and was much more comfortable. It was like being on a muggle swing set and jumping off into a sort of warmth. The travel was instantaneous.

"Harry. I believe it is time." the portrait spoke again.

It was now or never. Once a year, conditions were right to turn back essences. Their essence would be sent back the exact amount of years they had planned. To this moment in time, twenty years previously...

* * *

At first, they were going to go back just before Harry's first year. However, Albus' portrait had recommended slightly earlier, so as to make sure that they were ready, and to build up strength. Harry and Ginny had readily agreed, especially once Harry recalled that Sirius would still be stuck in Azkaban. That was one of the first things on their agenda – to clear Sirius of all charges. They couldn't go back too early though; it would be too infuriating with the some physical challenges of such youth.

Eventually, they had conceded to going back just before Harry turned eight, and Ginny seven. They had to go back on a July Seventh of some year – 7/7 was the only date that essences could be turned. This way they had three years to prepare before Harry's first year, and Sirius would have five years less of Azkaban than the original timeline. It was the best that they could do. The major drawback to this course in Harry and Ginny's opinion was that you couldn't exactly have seven and eight year olds snogging in broom cupboards. Hugs and brief kisses would have to satisfy them for the next few years.

* * *

"Remember, Harry, Ginny, the things that we have discussed. Do not forget them easily."

Harry and Ginny eyed the swirling golden mist in the basins before them, shared a brief kiss, - which still thrilled them after weeks with a Soul Bond – and drew their wands.

The portrait chuckled. "And now, onto _your_ next great adventure."

The Hogwarts clock tower chimed midnight as two voices whispered, "_Verto vicis_."

The Bonded vanished, Hogwarts shook, and Destiny shivered.

* * *

A/N:

Okay, so there's Chapter 2! There's the time travel part! Yay! Yeah, parts of it read like an essay; overall I don't think it was _too_ bad. Don't be alarmed if the first few chapters get reposted often, which they might.

For those of you who are wondering, "Verto vicis" means "to turn time" in Latin, according to InterTran.


	3. Potter, Ginny Potter

Authors note: Sorry for the long wait, but it's my longest chapter yet. It's extremely long because it spans over quite a period of time (though, at the same time, none at all. Keep reading the chapter!) I have forgotten the past two chapters to note that I don't own Harry Potter or anything related to it. I do, however, own a half full carton of ice cream. Better than nothing, I suppose.

Just a note that italics are Soul Speech, and bold italics are memories.

Reason for reposting at end of chapter. spoiler

With the equivalent of a mental thump, at 12:01 am on July 7, 1988 the essences of Harry and Ginny Potter landed in their seven and six year old bodies.

For the next few minutes, everything was a mental jumble for the pair. Harry, who had grown accustomed to a grown man's frame, was extremely disoriented by his scrawny, seven year old body. And he was in a cupboard. A cupboard under the stairs to be exact. It's wasn't that they hadn't been expecting this – they had. It didn't stop the effect from dizzying the pair, though. Ginny was just as bad on the other end of the Bond. They helped each other become accustomed to their new bodies through their mental link.

_Gin? _Harry asked tentatively.

_Yes, Harry? _Ginny replied dazedly – she still wasn't quite used to a six year old body_._

_We did it. _

To most, it seemed like Albus Dumbledore was up at all hours of the night and day. While this was not strictly true, it was accurate that he needed it extremely little sleep. At two in the morning on a particular day in early July, he was at his desk in the circular headmaster's office, fiddling with some silver trinkets.

He had seen much in his days as a teacher and a headmaster. He had witnessed the love between James and Lily Potter, he had glimpsed the rise and what he assumed to be temporary fall of Tom Riddle, and he had observed the unexpected betrayal of Sirius Black.

However, what Albus Dumbledore did not expect to see was two seemingly young children appear in his office at two o' clock in the morning. Let alone just as he checked the wards of Number 4, Privet Drive only to see that they had failed in the past two hours.

It was just as a slight sense of panic and confusion was beginning to overtake him, the boy supposedly living at Number Four, along with a girl who was no doubt a Weasley; dropped, quite literally, it appeared, into his office.

There was no mistaking the boy in front of him. He was the perfect combination of Lily and James. Identical to James overall, but definitely with Lily's eyes. He briefly wondered how many times the lad in front of him would hear that in the coming years.

_Wow. This looks different than a couple of hours ago. _Harry stated through their Bond.

_No, you think? _Ginny replied in her sarcastic manner_._

It was true, aside from a couple of Dumbledore's old silver trinkets and his portrait, little of the circular room had been left intact – most had been charred through spell damage. How the Headmaster's portrait had remained unscathed was a mystery.

The boy's eyes weren't the most important point at the moment though: how did he get here? He wasn't supposed to even know about the Wizarding World, let alone Hogwarts, and no one could just appear in his office other than Nicolas and Perenelle…

Blank shock registered on his face for a moment. A brief moment it was, but enough time to give the young wizard and witch time to, without speaking, wandlessly disarm the man. Harry caught it in mid air. Apparently his Seeker reflexes were still existent in this reality.

_Can't wait to see the look on your brothers' faces when we show them _that_ memory. _Harry deadpanned.

_Especially Fred and George_. _I don't think they ever managed to fool him. _She replied, openly grinning.

_Apparently he's still too shocked to try Legilimency. Good._ Harry added, noting that the professor's expression looked like a sort of wrinkled gold fish.

Stopping their silent conversation, and turning to the astounded educator, "Good morning, Professor!" Ginny said smiling. Dumbledore had always exchanged pleasantries before getting to the brunt of a conversation.

Having recovered from his temporary shock, the professor replied, "Good morning… Ms. Weasley, I would assume?" He didn't quite want to believe that they had appeared the same way as Nicolas and Perenelle. Not at such a young age. There must have been a different explanation.

Ginny resembled the muggle Cheshire Cat at this point. "Not quite, professor. Never assume. You once told me that assuming makes an ass of you and me."

Harry was standing behind Ginny, smiling softly at her. As though she felt the emerald eyes boring into her back, Ginny turned around and flashed Harry a bright smile.

The headmaster looked slightly puzzled, obviously never having met Ginny before and was apparently confused about the manner of these young children, but then chuckled.

"Quite right, quite right." He replied, blue eyes twinkling. Professor Dumbledore continued, though obviously aware that they had his wand, "Please have a seat, Mr. Potter, Ms…?"

"Potter. Ginny Potter."

There was no concealing the old man's surprise at this remark. His expression became serious. "Would you care to explain, Ms. –"

"Harry and I would prefer Mrs., Professor, if you don't mind. Or Harry and Ginny."

At this point, the old man was visibly shouldn't have been surprised. Shouldn't have been, but he was. The professor had plenty of practice regaining composure, though.

"Of course, so then, Harry, Ginny?" Dumbledore asked.

"I suppose we might as well get to the point." Harry spoke for the first time. Lily had never been one to beat around the bush, either, the professor reminisced.

"I have no doubt that you've deduced the phenomenon between Ginny and I. I ask that you save most of your questions for the end of the presentation." Harry said with a slight smile, which the archaic professor returned. There was no way that these two people were the ages that they appeared, not for a Soul Bond to have appeared, and certainly not with this maturity.

"_Accio Pensieve_." Harry waved his hand, as he had yet to go to Ollivander's. Wandless magic was draining on his yet undeveloped core, but it was bearable.

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows, but otherwise said nothing as his pensieve came zooming towards them via the fourth year spell.

Harry gave Ginny a significant look, and they simultaneously removed multiple memories of the last seventeen years (though occasionally going back before Harry's first year) of their essence and placed them in the Pensieve.

Harry gestured to the Pensieve. "After you, sir." Dumbledore stepped towards the Pensieve.

"Oh, one moment, sir." Ginny said. Harry nearly smacked his head after realizing what he had overlooked. Ginny stepped up to the Pensieve and pressed a rune on the side until it glowed purple. Dumbledore's eyes widened.

"Well, I must say that I am impressed. Not many people know that particular trick, especially not when using this Pensieve. Just how many memories are we going to be looking at, Ginny?"

She contemplated this.

"The important ones between 1991 and 2008 give or take a few memories."

He nodded, and stroked his beard, which was slightly shorter than they remembered. "Onward then?"

"Wait! Sir, I nearly forgot."

Harry handed the bearded man his wand as the rather unusual trio entered the Pensieve, hoping that he would not try to use it.

The first memory was Harry's first accidental magic – running from Dudley and his gang…

"_**Get the scrawny git! Yeah, the creepy Potter dork! Get him!" **_

_**A young Harry's panic was obvious in the memory. Running as fast as he could, he was sprinting towards a dead end.**_

Current Harry was slightly ashamed and embarrassed, but they had to show that Dumbledore had made a mistake in placing Harry with the Dursleys.

As if sensing Harry's discomfort, - well, there was no as if, the Bond saw to that – Ginny grasped Harry's hand in her own with all the might the six year old body could muster. With her other hand, she tilted Harry's chin up, forcing him to look her in the eye.

For Dumbledore's benefit, out loud, she berated him, "Damn it, Harry. It wasn't your fault. That pig, his gang and his parents were all MONSTERS! Monsters, you hear me? They beat –on a regular basis- an innocent boy."

With the blazing look that Harry loved so much, she added mentally,

_Who later became a wonderful man_.

To emphasize her point, she gave him a forceful peck on the cheek.

Out loud, she continued, "Got it?"

Harry nodded sullenly, hands shoved into oversized pockets of pants that obviously once belonged to the pig in question, and murmured, "Yes, Gin."

_Merlin, I don't know what I do without her. I don't want to find out, either._

Having heard this thought, Ginny's heart melted. Grinning, she slyly added,

_You bet you don't. Face it, you're hopeless without me, Potter._

Harry smiled.

Dumbledore remained silent throughout the exchange, but Harry was sure that he caught a glimpse of tear rolling down the crinkled face.

The memory continued on.

_**Just as Piers Polkiss was closing in on him – the slim rat faced boy ran much faster than his obese counterpart – the younger Harry felt a whoosh of air and was on the roof. **_

"_**How did that happen? Worse, how am I going to explain it? Cupboard, here I come."**_

The memory faded…

Into more blackness. Harry was mildly confused but gradually made out some shapes and suddenly recalled the moment with great clarity as Ginny braced herself.

_It's ok Gin, it's the past now._

When the red head had first seen this memory, she had been livid. Harry had to forcibly restrain her from going to hex the Dursleys into oblivion.

"_**BOY!" Uncle Vernon had shouted. "UP NOW, OR NO MEALS FOR A WEEK!"**_

_**A six year old Harry reluctantly dragged himself up as the cupboard door swung open, blinding the boy. He quickly grabbed for his glasses, which were connected only by a feeble piece of tape. **_

_**Aunt Petunia regarded him disdainfully, and then snapped, **_

"_**Well? What are you waiting for? It's time to make breakfast for my Duddykins! Up! He wants six pancakes with the red and green sprinkles. He has such the Christmas spirit…"**_

_**Harry bowed his head. "Yes, Aunt Petunia."**_

_**Harry walked past the fake Christmas tree (the Dursleys couldn't be bothered with taking care of a real one.) towards the kitchen, wondering if there would be anything for him this year. **_

_**What was he thinking? Of course not. Dudley would count all of his presents up to twenty, and then make his parents count the rest since he couldn't.**_

_**Harry could've, but he didn't plan on publicizing this fact. Any time that he did something better than Dudley, he was punished, so he learned to repress answers and talents…**_

The memory went on just as the younger Harry had known it would.

_**Harry, back in his cupboard after cleaning up Dudley's wrapping paper and other Christmas related trash, had a single tear rolling down his cheek.**_

_**Harry wasn't permitted to cry with the Dursleys, so that was the only tear that escaped.**_

_**What had he done wrong?**_

"_**I wonder if my parents loved me before they died. I hope so, but I doubt it. Who could love a freak? "**_

Ginny, the normally tearless one, had water streaming down her cheeks as she hugged Harry with as much power as she could muster.

"Oh, Harry…" she mumbled into his chest. This was one of the memories that had hurt Ginny the most.

"Shhh, Gin. It's alright. It's the past, now. All in the past." He murmured into her hair, rubbing her back.

She looked up, chocolate eyes boring into his emerald orbs.

_I don't care what you say. I'm hexing them this time._

Harry chuckled, although it wasn't the rumbling, chest filling chuckle that Ginny was used to. Well not yet, anyway. That wouldn't come for a good few years yet.

He tucked a stray piece of her fiery hair behind her ear, smirking.

"If that's what you want. I suppose I could let a couple of Bat Bogeys go by."

Ginny smiled. They always knew just how to cheer the other up.

Harry paused the memory that was coming up to see Dumbledore looking at him with a deep sorrow. Tears flowed down and out of blue eyes which had lost their customary twinkle.

"Harry, what I have done is unforgivable, -"

"No it's not. You made an honest mistake. A mistake which may have protected me from Voldemort. You did it out of love, which makes it forgivable. You see your mistake, correct? Then we're on the same page."

He bowed his head. "Thank you, Harry."

Harry nodded stiffly. "Right. Shall we go on, then?"

Harry let the memories continue on. Ginny had placed some relatively inconsequential memories of the Burrow in. Harry held Ginny as she blushed during one of his favorite memories.

"_**Daddy, please? Just one more time, please?" A four year old Ginny pouted in her green Holyhead Harpies pajamas. **_

_**Arthur Weasley sighed and looked into the chocolate eyes of his only daughter. **_

"_**Alright, princess." He sat in an overstuffed crimson armchair chair that Harry didn't recognize.**_

_Fred and George got it with accidental magic later that year. _

_Ah. Why am I not surprised?_

"_**Come on up, Fred." Arthur said, grinning. **_

"_**Daddy! I'm Ginny, not Fred." **_

_**Arthur feigned surprise. "Really? Well come on up then Ginny."**_

"_**Yay!" she squealed as she climbed up on her father's lap.**_

The current Ginny held her head in her hands, flushing the same color as the chair while Harry laughed quietly.

_I think it's quite cute, Mrs. Potter.  
_Ginny resembled a cherry as she blushed harder than before. A slight shiver went up Ginny's spine. She couldn't help herself, not when he called her Mrs. Potter. She smirked.

_Really? Maybe I should show you what cute_ really _means, Mr. Potter._

It was Harry that now held his head in his hands.

_Damn, Gin, we have to stop this. We promised to wait until your fourteenth birthday! I won't be able to last seven years like this…_

She sighed.

_You're right. But you did start it. _

_I know. Just seven years…_

_So you really are just after one thing… Can't wait 'til my brothers hear this._

He paled and looked at her sharply, though still grinning a bit.

_I'm done. _She relented_._

_Thank Merlin._

The memory continued on, oblivious to the silent banter between the Bonded couple.

_**Arthur scratched his chin.**_

"_**What were we going to do again?" **_

"_**Daddy!" she shrieked, sitting up sharply.**_

"_**Oh! Of course." She settled back into his arms.**_

"_**Well, once there was a baby who was son of two great people. The baby's name was-"**_

"_**Harry Potter, son of Lily and James"**_

_**The redheaded father smiled. **_

"_**Right. And this horrible, powerful wizard –"**_

"_**Voldemort!" she gasped.**_

"_**Ginny, how many times have I told you not to say his name?"**_

"_**Too many to count…" she grumbled.**_

"_**Anyway, this terrible man was after the innocent baby. So one day, he went to the house of the two wonderful people, Lily and James," he said, some unshed tears in his eyes, "and killed them." Ginny gasped.**_

"_**How horrible." **_

_**Arthur nodded. Every time he told this story, he got a little teary eyed. He hadn't even known Lily and James that well, but it still got him choked up. The poor boy, an orphan, sent to live with muggles…**_

"_**But for some reason, he couldn't kill the little boy. Not only that, but he disappeared after that, and hasn't been seen since."**_

"_**How long is 'since' Daddy?"**_

"_**About four years, I think." **_

_**Ginny gasped. "So I'm almost his age?" Arthur nodded his assent.**_

"_**Well, when he comes to Hogwarts, I'm going to be his best friend. And so will Ron, if he wants. Then we'll grow up, fall in love and I'll marry him. And we'll love him a lot, so that he doesn't miss his parents too much." She stated this with certainty as she snuggled into the eldest Weasley's arms.**_

"_**If you think so, princess. Just don't get your hopes up."**_

_Wise words. Took me twelve years to snag you._

_Don't you mean snog? _Harry sent, raising his eyebrows.

Ginny looked ahead, obviously trying to pull off a dignified silence as Harry chuckled again.

_I love you. _

She looked into the endless sea of green and melted (which was quite funny to see in a six year old.).

_I love you too. _

They went through Harry's first year and most of his second without much interruption, some memories Ginny's, but most were Harry's. As they came to the end of his second year, he hugged Ginny close to him.

_Oh, Gin, it'll be alright, love. That isn't going to happen this time around. It was my fault anyway. If I hadn't been such a git and paid more attention to you, you wouldn't have had to write in the diary…_

_Shut up, Harry. We've been over this. It wasn't your fault._

_Nor was it yours._

_I know…_

She sighed.

_It's in the past, love. Actually, it isn't in the past. It's not going to be in the future, so it can't be in the past. I guarantee it. Let's just get through the memory. _

_Ok._

The memory continued on.

"So I gather that you have figured that this was a horcrux, no?" Harry asked the professor as they watched as they landed safely in Myrtle's bathroom.

"How many?" Dumbledore asked gravely.

"Seven, plus Voldemort himself. One was an accident though. "

"An accidental horcrux. That's a new one." He looked stricken. "It's the scar, isn't it?" Harry nodded grimly.

"There's also a locket that belonged to Salazar Slytherin, a cup belonging to Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw's diadem, a ring belonging to his mother's family," he paused, not ready to say that it was a Hallow, "and later, his snake, Nagini." As he listed the Horcruxes, he felt a sense of dread.

_How did we think we could do this?_

It was Ginny's turn to hug him tightly.

_We'll get through this together._

"Thanks, Gin," he murmured as the flowery scent of her hair soothed his racing mind.

Silence enveloped the Pensieve while they watched Harry's discussion with the professor.

As a thirteen year old Harry blew up his aunt, Ginny erupted into gales of laughter and Professor Dumbledore cracked a smile.

They went through parts of Harry's third year, although thankfully they didn't feel the effects of the Dementors.

Seeing Sirius alive had been expected, but Harry's breath still caught in his throat when they talked in the Shrieking Shack. He felt the urge to go rescue Sirius right then and there.

After they finished Harry's third year, Dumbledore asked, hesitantly, "When did he die, Harry?"

"End of fifth year." He choked out. The professor put a hand on Harry's shoulder. "I'm so sorry." A hush cloaked the pensieve again.

"How would you feel about visiting him when we're finished here?"

Harry looked into the twinkling blue eyes. "I'd enjoy that, sir."

"Harry, I can assure you that so long as I remain in my position, an innocent man in Azkaban will not be tolerated. Ginny, do you think you could collect, ah, Scabbers once we've finished?" She nodded, sensing that Harry would want some alone time with his Godfather.

The stream of memories continued to flow with few interruptions, and they got to the rebirth of Voldemort, Ginny gripped Harry's hand tightly when the traitorous bastard killed Cedric.

"He'd better get the Kiss." Harry muttered

"He will love, he will. Unless you'd rather Sirius and Remus rip him limb from limb?"

"Tough choice there. I'll get back to you on that one." Harry mumbled.

Ginny laughed, instantly lightening Harry's dark mood.

It seemed like they flew past most of Harry's fifth year, the Potters feeling a mutual burst of anger at each memory of Umbridge and of the Occlumency lessons. It was also a different experience to see a Pensieve memory in a Pensieve, it was slightly foggy, but nothing much was different.

It was Ginny's turn to comfort Harry again as Sirius fell through the Veil.

He had long ago come to terms with his grief, but it just ripped new wound open again. Nightmares were a rare occurrence after Ginny had become Ginny Potter. They had acted as some mystical American muggle thing – a dream catcher was it? They prevented each other's nightmares until the next traumatic event in their lives.

_Harry, he's alive. You hear me? Alive. Living, though perhaps not healthy, but he will be after Mum gets a hold of him. _

This was true. Mrs. Weasley – he was going to have to get used to that again – she had forced him to call her Mum after he married Ginny – would feed anything that looked mildly unhealthy.

_Got that right. Ginny added dryly._

The memories kept streaming, and as one Harry learned of the prophecy concerning him and Voldemort, the other warned Dumbledore of what was to come.

"Sir, I just wanted to let you know what's in one of the memories that's coming up.

"Oh?" the wrinkled wizard replied.

"The third Deathly Hallow."

If anything could have shocked the wizened old wizard at this point, that was it.

"You united them, then?" Dumbledore asked, regaining his composure, though some awe crept into his voice.

"Well, yes, but not for a while after it appeared. It was a horcrux."

"I used it, didn't I? Foolish. Completely foolish of me. Is that how I died? I had been wondering."

Harry laughed. "Your portrait said the same thing when we talked about the Hallows."

His mood darkened slightly when he thought of Dumbledore's death.

"Not quite. Draco Malfoy had been ordered to kill you, and you were going to die from the cursed ring, so you asked," he paused "Professor Snape to do it instead."

"Ah. Well, it sounds like we have most of this year covered, unless I am mistaken. Would you mind going on, or is there something more?"

Harry and Ginny shared a grin. There was much more, but nothing that Dumbledore really needed to see.

'They went on.

On Harry's seventeenth birthday, he came into his complete inheritance. The Death Eaters didn't attack as soon as they'd expected, and so Ron, Harry, and Hermione went to Gringotts.

Looking through the books at Potter Manor and in his vault, Gryffindor's resident bookworm had found a spell in a handwritten book, What the Ministry Doesn't Want You To Know by Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, Prongs and assisted by Mrs. Prongs. The Marauders and Lily had found a way to break the Trace.

Grabbing some other items from the vault, they apparated to the Burrow.

Ginny grinned at the memory that was playing.

_"__**HARRY JAMES POTTER! WHAT THE BLOODY HELL WERE YOU THINKING? Disappearing off like that? For all we knew Death Eaters had gotten you.-"**_

_**Harry cut her off with a passionate kiss, his lips melding with hers, her hands messing with his already unmanageable hair. Cursing the need for oxygen, they eventually broke for air.**_

_"__**Gin, I made a terrible mistake. I was bloody miserable without you. Forgive me?" Harry asked breathlessly.**_

_**Ginny just couldn't stay mad at Harry, not with those emerald eyes gleaming down at her.**_

_"__**Fine, you prat. You better not pull that kind of thing again though."**_

_"__**Deal." He replied with a heartwarming smile.**_

_"__**Gin, if, erm, you'd be willing, would you. Well. ?"**_

_**Ginny looked startled. "I'd do anything to be with you Harry, but the Trace… -" Harry, who was surprised that she had actually understood his gibberish, cut in,**_

_"__**Can be broken."**_

_**She looked skeptical. "How?" **_

_**Harry held up the book. **_

_**Ginny grinned." If Fred and George got their hands on that…"**_

_"__**We would prepare for the destruction of the world." He grinned right back at her as they both burst into gales of laughter.**_

_"__**Harry, do it now. Break the Trace." Ginny said, sobering.**_

_**Harry sucked in a deep breath.**_

_"Haud Vestigium__**."**_

_**Ginny's wand felt somehow lighter as the couple discussed the next adventure of their lives…**_

The only reason that the pair had been wary of the Reasonable Restriction for Underage Sorcery was that they didn't want it common knowledge that they could break the Trace. The news would spread like Fiendfyre once they were seen using magic outside of school.

This is where the Soul Bond came in – it vanished tracers in wands belonging to a Bonded pair, and they therefore had a plausible reason. Any other Traces that they felt necessary to break would just have to be done with caution.

The next memory came about two days later.

_**Harry was in Sirius' old bedroom at Grimmauld Place as he looked through the book written by his parents and the other Marauders. He wasn't surprised to find that Wormtail had contributed very little. **_

_**Harry flipped through the book to find a page mysteriously blank. Curious, he tapped it with his wand, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."**_

_**Slowly, a heading crept across the page **_

_**Becoming an Animagus…**_

Another memory faded from view and was replaced by Harry talking to his girlfriend, though somewhere in their hearts, they knew that they would be together, always.

_**It was Ginny's sixteenth birthday. **_

_**They were in Ginny's bedroom in the Burrow, both sitting on her bed. Harry combed through Ginny's fine fiery curls as she relaxed into his chest. Without warning, he asked her softly,**_

_"__**Gin, would you like to become an Animagus with me?"**_

_**She sat up sharply and looked at him. A mischievous grin broke out on her face. **_

_"__**Fred and George are going to be so jealous."**_

_**The smile melted slightly. "Are Ron and Hermione doing it too?" It wasn't that she disliked the pair, she loved them. It was the fact that she wanted to do something just with Harry.**_

_"__**No," he said as he continued to brush through her tresses, "I wanted it to be something just between us. At least for now."**_

_"__**Thank you." She whispered as she succumbed to sleep.**_

They watched as, over the years, people died, children cried, and Horcruxes were destroyed. They saw Harry's animagus – a Griffin, ironically enough – and they saw Ginny's, a fierce lioness. The Dumbledore of the portrait warned them that it may be different this time around, though. They watched the walls of Hogwarts yield to Darkness and crumble around them. They watched as their family and friends were ripped away from them, painfully and deliberately. They watched as Voldemort fell too late, falling after the near complete destruction of the Wizarding World. They watched their own love grow and develop. They watched, as they set out to morph reality. As they set out to change all that had been set in stone.

_A/N: Whew! That was my longest chapter yet. I'm sure that you want details of Horcrux destruction and character death, but don't worry. That'll probably come via nightmares. I'm getting Dumbledore to see his mistakesearly on, so that he won't be as manipulative. And yes, I made Harry and Ginny animagi. Are you surprised? Get over it. Their forms, however, aren't set in stone… Tell me what you think!_

_Haud Vestigium, according to InterTran roughly means "No Trace"_

_Chapter was reposted again due to a change in Harry's animagus form. While I had vague plotline ideas for the former form, enough readers were unhappy enough to warrant a change..which is still not set in stone, for the record. That is all!_

_The purple rune that Ginny pressed not only showed that somewhere, somehow, she knew Dumbledore(or his portrait) it also allowed time outside the Pensieve to stop. It would allow them to look at quite an amount of memories without any time passing. When they come out of the Pensieve it will still be between 2 and 3 in the morning._

_Seriously, a beta would be nice! Okay, that's all the beta begging that I'm doing this chapter._


	4. The Freeing of Sirius Black

A/N: Chapter Four! Yay! Sorry about the wait for the update, but I have been **crazy busy** in the last few weeks, and will continue to be for a while. I apologize in advance for any more long waits.

--

As crickets continued to chirp on the grounds of Hogwarts, a purple rune glowed brightly for the second time that night, the first having been only seven minutes before. Grey, black and red were seen as three people were thrust forcefully out of the Pensieve residing within Dumbledore's office.

"Well, that was certainly unexpected." Dumbledore deadpanned.

Harry and Ginny grinned.

All questions having been asked and answered for the moment, the trio moved on to planning the next few days of their lives.

Their first goal was to have Sirius freed.

Harry immediately dismissed the notions thought of in the Pensieve. He wanted to free Sirius as soon as possible.

"And think about it this way – if they use Veritaserum on him _after_ we talk to him, they might learn something incriminating." Harry had been trying to convince Ginny that he shouldn't see Sirius first, as much as he wanted to, he just couldn't.

"We should plan this out, think of it as a huge prank on the Ministry. What would Fred and George do?"

A feral grin spread across Ginny's face.

--

Emerald flames swirled in the fireplace of the Burrow as Molly Weasley cooked breakfast for her seven children. It wasn't that uncommon of an occurrence – people regularly fire called for Arthur. This early though? It was probably Amos Diggory. How mistaken she was.

"Oh! Good morning, Professor!" she said, unknowingly echoing the earlier words of her daughter. Molly Weasley wasn't easily flustered, but whoever she had expected to see her kitchen that morning, Albus Dumbledore didn't even make the list.

Behind him came a small redheaded girl that Molly recognized as her own.

"Albus, wha-"

"All will be explained in good time, Molly."

Molly fixed a glare on her youngest child. "Ginevra Weasley, what did you do?"

The girl looked frightened a tad, and spluttered out, "Nothing mum! Honest, I didn't do anything, I swear." She looked close to tears.

Harry viewed this from his cupboard via the mind link between the couple.

_Damn, my wife is an excellent actress, _He thought with a smile.

_You bet she is Potter. _Ginny suppressed a smile on her face as she sent back. The link went silent again as Ginny needed to focus on her mother.

"Oh, Ginny. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have assumed, dear. I'm sure you didn't do anything." She said as she knelt down to hug her daughter.

"Young Ginny here has actually done something quite remarkable. Would you like to tell your mother, Ginny?" he said calmly.

Ginny looked up at her mother. "Okay." She said with the innocence of the six year old that she was not.

"Well, I woke up when it was really dark outside because I was thirsty." She started. "So I went downstairs to the kitchen to get a drink of water, and I saw this short, ugly, scary man down there. He turned around and sawed me," she even pulled off the lack of grammar, "and I was real scared. So I was about to scream when a little beam of red light shot out of my hand. I thought it was that spell that I heard Daddy talking about one day. Stubefy or something?"

Molly nodded for her to go on, surprised that her daughter had wandlessly cast such a spell. Such were the wonders of accidental magic.

"So I went over and I saw Scabbers where I had just shot the light. He was un – un- uncanny?"

"Unconscious." Dumbledore filled in, privately amused at the acting job going on.

"Right, that. But I was still kinda scared, so I put him in one of those empty Unbreakable jars that you use for cooking."

Molly was surprised that her daughter had thought of this, though she wrinkled her nose at the idea of a rat in there. Oh well, it was nothing a good Scourgify couldn't cure.

"And I remembered that you said to Charlie that if there was ever trouble, that you should go to the Headmaster's Office. Then you muttered something about him being up at all hours of the night and day anyway." Molly blushed a bit at that. It _did_ seem like the man never slept.

--

"And I didn't want to wake you and Daddy up, so I took some Floo powder and said Headmaster's Office really clearly. And I told Professor Dumbledore about it and gave him Scabbers."

Molly gaped. "You Flooed over there by yourself? Ginny that was dangerous. But I'm proud of you for thinking of Professor Dumbledore. Next time you can wake us up though, okay?"

Molly was shocked over all. But how did a strange man translate to Scabbers?

"Molly, after going over the facts and examining the rodent in question, I believe I have found the answer. You may want to sit down for this."

The Weasley matriarch obediently sat on a rickety chair. If this was going to shock her more than what Ginny had just done, it must be crazy beyond belief.

"Molly, I believe that Scabbers is an unregistered animagus by the name of Peter Pettigrew." Molly paled, confusion showing on her face.

"Peter Pettigrew is dead. He was killed by Sirius Black, Albus! What kind of sick joke is this?"

Dumbledore looked at her calmly.

"Molly, I assure you that this is no joke. I have performed the Animagus Reversal Charm. Peter Pettigrew lies unconscious now in my office."

Molly looked at him carefully. "So Pettigrew is alive. But what of Sirius Black?"

Dumbledore sighed.

"Molly, with this new evidence, Sirius Black most definitely innocent of all charges. How I lost faith in him so quickly, I don't know. Sirius was also thought to be the Secret Keeper of the Potters. I now believe that they switched to Peter at the last moment without telling me."

Molly was shocked at the influx of information. Peter Pettigrew had been the Secret Keeper for the Potters? It was his fault that their son was an orphan, living with some no doubt horrible muggles? This man had lived in their _house_?

Wait, shouldn't they have known that Black was innocent? Veritaserum could have done it during a trial. She voiced this.

Dumbledore looked down, ashamed.

"Sirius Black was never given a trial."

Molly's face colored with angry red splotches.

"You're telling me that an _innocent_ man is in _Azkaban_ and was never given a bloody _trial_?" she nearly shouted.

"Yes." Dumbledore said, still ashamed.

"Then what, Albus Dumbledore, are you doing in my kitchen? Get to the Ministry, and pull every bloody string you have. You get that man out, and that rat," she spat the word venomously, "in. Then you are going to bring Sirius to this house, and I am going to make sure that he is healthy and sane by the time he leaves. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Molly."

"Good. Now go!"

Meanwhile, Harry and Ginny were laughing hysterically over the Bond.

_Did you see that? Albus Dumbledore, Order of Merlin First Class, Supreme Mugwump, Headmaster of Hogwarts, Defeater of Grindelwald, told off by _mymum_. And looking ashamed to boot. He looked like a boy who stole from a cookie jar!_

_Did you notice that she said bloody twice? _Harry added.

_Now _that_ is blackmail material. Ginny sent the mental equivalent of a smirk._

_With that inspiration, I'll bet you a Galleon that Sirius will be out by my birthday!_

_I say by the end of next week. Sirius will be out of Azkaban by Sunday, July 17._

_Deal._

Harrywas elated, though he soon mellowed out.

_Gin, what about the rest of it? How do we tell your parents about the Soul Bond? Do you think Sirius will like me this time around? What if he hates me for not getting him out earlier? What if…?_

_Harry?_

_Yes, dear?_

_Shut up._

_Yes, dear._

_Sirius is going to love you and you are going to leave the Dursleys and live with him in Potter Manor. We are going to tell my parents with Dumbledore right next to us. They'll believe him._

_Thanks, Gin. I needed that. _

_I know you did. That's what I'm for. _

_Gin?_

_Yes, Harry?_

_I love you._

_I love you too._

_--_

The pair continued on for the next couple of days like their typical six and seven year old selves should have, checking in with the Headmaster of Hogwarts around two in the morning each night, and sharing dreams with each other.

Harry swung into Dumbledore's office at midnight a week after the minds of the essences of the pair had been turned back.

Ginny had won the bet.

--

Harry stood, gaping for a moments at the man in front of him. Not quite as gaunt as he had been in the past life just after Azkaban, a gleam was in his eyes at being a free man.

Upon spotting Harry, tears sparkled in his eyes.

"Harry, I as good as killed your parents. I told them that Pettigrew would make a better Secret Keeper, just know that I would have -"

"Died rather than betray Lily and James. I know, Sirius. There are some things that I have to tell you, oh Godfather of mine."

Sirius was dumbfounded, but wrapped Harry in a bear hug to rival Mrs. Weasley's, which Harry gladly returned.

"You aren't going to believe this Padfoot."

Harry showed Sirius the same memories he had shown Dumbledore, as well as the memory of him showing Dumbledore at the end.

At the end, Sirius stood gaping.

"Sirius, I understand if you're mad at me for not coming back any earlier –"

Imitating Ron, Sirius exclaimed, "Are you bloody mental? Harry, not only did you come back to save me and the rest of the world, you've done something the Marauders never managed!"

Sirius was smiling now.

"And what was that?" Harry asked.

"You confused Dumbledore! Did you see how shocked he was when you and Ginny, what was it, swung? When you swung into his office! That was amazing!"

Harry chuckled, glancing at Dumbledore, who was feigning deafness.

Sobering a bit, the animagus continued, "Harry, you got me out of Azkaban five years earlier than I would have, I'm going to have more time with you, and I'm sure that from your memories of Molly Weasley, that I will be perfectly healthy, and probably overly plump."

Harry grinned.

"You know, Ginny said the same thing."

A cat like grin spread across the face of the dog animagus.

"So when do I get to meet this new redheaded addition to the Potter family? What is it with Potters and redheads? I've always said it was a curse, but James called it a blessing."

_Ginny?_

_Everyone's asleep. I'll be right there._

_This should be good._

Instead of replying to his Godfather, Harry just stood there smiling. Within a few moments, Harry was rewarded by the sight of Ginny standing just behind Sirius.

"Boo!" she called out.

Sirius jumped as he whipped around with his wand out. Harry was chortling as Ginny smirked.

"Pleased to meet you, Sirius." She said, as she extended her hand. The smirk never disappeared from her face.

He stood there, mock glaring for a moment, and then wrapped her in a bear hug similar to Harry's, which Ginny returned.

"I can't wait to get to know you both. I already love you so much Harry, and Ginny is obviously your better half…" Sirius smiled "The next generation of Marauders is going to leave Hogwarts a much funnier place."

Harry and Ginny flushed, but were still smiling.

"Professor, does this mean that I can leave the Dursleys?" Harry asked.

Obviously, though, he wasn't asking, merely stating that he was going to leave and wondering if Dumbledore would take care of everything. "Certainly, I will take care of Petunia and Vernon. I shall also acquire Fawkes' second wand for you, so as not arouse suspicion. Out of curiosity, will you be staying at the Devonshire manor? It's actually quite close to the Burrow, as I'm sure you realize. Molly Weasley, has, ah, demanded rather forcefully that Sirius sees her after Azkaban."

Harry pondered over this a moment, smiling all the while.

"Sirius and I could probably stay at Devonshire manor. Lionfire Hall was always my favorite. I'll have to get reacquainted with my in-laws soon enough anyway, no? Would you mind getting Ginny's wand as well? Birch and dragon heartstring, nine and one – quarter inches, and I'll pay you back once we go to Gringotts."

"That would be no problem, Harry."

"Thank you. There's nothing of value to me at my, relatives," he spat the word as though it burned him, "so I'll swing Sirius and I right over."

This was another great benefit of swinging – you could willingly take people with you, but no one could "latch on" as with apparition.

"Ginny, you had better get back over to the Burrow before your mum wakes up and checks on you."

An unfortunate effect of Pettigrew's capture was that Mrs. Weasley regularly checked her only daughter's room to make sure she was okay. Under normal circumstances, this would have been appreciated, but what was ever normal for the two Potters?

Ginny nodded and gave Sirius and Harry a quick hug each, to which Sirius raised his eyebrows at Harry, who just rolled his eyes.

Ginny swung back to the Burrow as Harry focused on Sirius. He didn't therefore, notice the impending doom.

_Erm, Harry?_

_Yes, dear? _He replied absentmindedly, he was still speaking to Sirius about Quidditch.

_We may have a slight problem._

Harry immediately stopped his conversation of the Wizarding sport, signaling that he was talking to Ginny.

_Meeting the parents this time around may not be as easy._

Harry paled as, through his wife's eyes, he saw a _very_ angry mother in law.

A/N: Okay, not as long as the last chapter, but I wanted to leave you guys with a bit of a cliffy. I'll try to post the next chapter sooner. Sirius is rescued. Yay! The updates are going to be at least long as this last one if not longer. I'm extremely busy, sorry. I'll still try to go quickly.


	5. A Weasley Woman's Wrath

A/N: Looking forward to the chapter? I started this on Ginny's birthday, and but some landscapers cut the freaking' cables to our house, so I'll be posting this when I have internet access, or a bit after. Sorry it took so long, I also had some writer's block.

Grab some popcorn. In one corner: Ginny Potter, Harry Potter, Albus Dumbledore, and Sirius Black. In the other, one very angry Molly Weasley and her confused husband Arthur. Who will win? Only this chapter will tell. Enjoy!

--

"Ginevra. Molly. Weasley." Molly Weasley was a formidable witch on her own, but when she was angry, well, she could probably take out Bellatrix Lestrange single handedly.

Flames danced behind the eyes of Ginny's mother, giving the normally warm chocolate a fiery glow as her equally fiery hair hung haphazardly around her face.

Harry had been right, Weasley hair _did_ seem redder when Weasleys were angry, Ginny mused.

Now, however, was not the time for musing.

Harry winced at the other side of their Bond. Giving the aging Headmaster a pointed look, he said, "Erm, Professor, I'm going to need to swing you and Sirius over to the Burrow." He gulped. "Mrs. Weasley was awake."

Dumbledore visibly cringed, but then regained his composure, which he seemed to be doing a lot of lately.

"Well, I suppose that we ought to rescue your beloved, then, no? It would seem that you get to talk to your in laws sooner than planned. He chuckled, sweeping his purple robes about him.

"Mr. Black, you may want to brace yourself. We are about to put ourselves in the direct wrath of Molly Weasley. This is not a good thing to do." The archaic Headmaster warned in a solemn voice. Behind the solemnity though, there was a definite hint of amusement. His blue eyes danced with merriment as he waited for Sirius' reply.

"Oh, I saw the memories. Trust me, I know. But we should get over there before we let her, what did Fred and George say? Get into her stride? It's time to save Harry's damsel in distress." He smiled, for one of the few times that Harry had seen in either lifetime, the smile reaching his infinite grey eyes.

Harry would have defended Ginny, she could handle herself (though it had taken a Bat Bogey or five for _him_ to realize this.), but Sirius was right. They could _not_ let her get into her stride.

_Harry? Where the bloody hell are you? I'd appreciate some support._

_Coming, dear._

With that, Harry linked arms with his godfather and headmaster and swung into the Burrow's smallest bedroom.

Taking in the surroundings, Harry noticed the details of the room as he waited for his former and current Headmaster to take control of the situation.

"Where were you, young lady? I came into your room to find your bed empty. No note!" at this Harry and Ginny were reminded of Harry's first stay at the Burrow. Ginny's mother was oblivious to this connection though, as she continued in a fierce whisper, "And just after that incident with Pettigrew? For all I knew you had been kidnapped! And then you appear out of thin air! You can't have possibly apparated." At Ginny's lack of response, she frowned.

Ginny was too busy noticing the three people behind her mother. The professor's eyes twinkled in amusement as he watched the scenario before him. She looked then into the endless emerald green orbs of her husband which were sparkling with mock – delight at Ginny's expense.

"Well, young lady? What do you have to say for yourself?" she nearly screeched, interrupting her daughter's train of thought. Ginny knew that the only reason she wasn't yelling was that she didn't want to wake up the rest of the house. Otherwise, Ginny was sure that she would need to have her eardrums repaired.

"Well? What do you have to say?" Mrs. Weasley was getting impatient.

Ginny smirked, though it probably wasn't the best move under the circumstances, she couldn't resist.

"Turn around." She said coolly.

That had done it. The stride was broken as the Weasley matriarch turned around…

To see a small boy, a recently freed prisoner, and the Headmaster of Hogwarts.

Ginny smiled at Harry behind her mother's back, glad to be rescued, if only temporarily.

_My knight in shining in armour. _Ginny sent sarcastically.

_Hey, isn't that what I really was to you at this age anyway? _Harry replied.

Ginny just blushed in response.

_Damn, he can still do that after nearly ten years of marriage. You'd think I'd have grown out of it by now._

_Don't underestimate me, honey. I'm a man of many talents_. He sent her a mental grin.

Their conversation was abruptly cut off as they focused on the conversation Dumbledore initiated.

"Ah, Molly, a good morning to you!" Dumbledore said to the mother cheerfully.

"Albus, what is going on? I find my daughter missing from her bed, only to see her appear out of thin air a few minutes later, when she is clearly too young to Apparate. Then _you_ pop in here with Sirius Black, though I am happy about that, now is not the time, and a boy who can't be more than eight just as I begin to confront Ginny! What is the meaning of this?"

_Glad we headed her off. _Harry thought dryly.

_Hush!_

_Yes, Mrs. Potter._

Ginny flushed for the second time in the past two minutes.

_Damn it, Harry! Stop, not here, and not now._

He sent her a mental huff as they continued to watch the female Weasley parent berate the elderly headmaster.

The professor held up his hand, indicating that she should stop.

"Molly, I assure you that Ginny is in no danger at the moment. Quite the contrary, actually. If you wouldn't mind waking your husband –"

"No need, Albus, I woke up to find her gone, and heard the, ah, _whispers_, or lack thereof, down here. Is there a problem?" The Weasley patriarch said, a trace of sleep still in his voice.

"No, not at all, Arthur, something quite wonderful actually. I just wanted to speak to the both of you."

"Well, should we put Ginny to bed then, Albus? I'm sure that if you called in the middle of the night it isn't appropriate for young ears." Molly said, her previous anger forgotten, as she started to shoo Ginny towards the bed.

Ginny's temper rose a notch as she sent Harry a mental eye roll.

"And what of the boy –"she continued oblivious to her daughter's indignation.

"Molly, if you would let me finish." Mrs. Weasley had the grace to blush a bit.

"Of course, Albus, go on."

"It is not my tale to tell, Molly. If we could go to my office, Ginny included, that would be delightful. I believe Bill is home? Could he look after the others for a while, in case a problem were to arise?" Dumbledore inquired.

"Of course, Albus, that would be no problem. I'll just let him know." said Molly as she bustled out of the room.

Sirius and Harry remained silent the entire time, though Harry was still mentally trying to soothe his wife's indignation.

_Gin, she doesn't know yet. That's why I'm here, remember? Just give her some time._

_Why does she have to treat me like a baby all the time though? Ginny pouted._

_Well, Gin, right now you're acting like one. Be the adult in the situation. We'll get through this, I promise._

_And if we don't?_

_Then I'll make a dashing escape, saving you with my golden- knight- in –shining- armour like ways. Then I'll whisk you off to your favorite beach house in Fiji._

_My hero._

_I know._

If they hadn't been in a room with two people who were completely oblivious, Harry and Ginny would have burst out laughing. Harry then sobered.

_Gin, what if your parents don't like me in this universe?_

This had been a genuine worry of Harry's for the last few days.

_Then I'll hex them into oblivion. Harry, they're the same people who loved you like their own then, and they'll love you just as much here. I promise. What is it with you and worrying irrationally? They'll love you. Stop worrying._

_Okay. For now, anyway._

_I suppose that's the best I'm going to get, isn't it?_

_Yes._

The conversation was again cut short by Molly Weasley coming back into the room.

"Bill said that he would be fine with that. How are we going, Albus?"

Harry nearly shook his head. Why was Bill even awake? Oh well, that was a mystery for another day.

_There's probably a girl hiding in his room. Mum was just to distracted to notice._

_Didn't need to know that, Gin. Good blackmail material though... Oh, Gin, do want to swing your parents over, or not until they find out._

_Merlin, no! How would we explain that? Not until they find out. Maybe we can swing them back._

Albus glanced at the pair, who shook their heads by a miniscule amount.

Molly and Arthur wouldn't swing until they understood what it was.

"We'll go by Floo, if you have some powder?" Albus said without a noticeable pause.

Molly nodded.

In short order, all six people settled in chintz armchairs within the Headmaster's office. Though some were obviously sootier than others.

_Nearly seventeen years in the Wizarding World, and I still can't Floo right. _Harry mentally grumbled.

_Ah, my armoured knight who can't Floo. What's a girl to do?_

_Apparate?_

Harry desperately wanted to tickle her. It would have been perfect timing, but two people in the vicinity weren't aware that the pair had met, let alone know each other that well.

_Hah! I'll get you for that thought later, Mr. Potter._

_Will you, Mrs. Potter?_

_Damn it all! Why won't I stop blushing?_

_Because you know how unbelievably cute it is._

The blush steadily darkened.

"Ginny, dear, are you alright? You looked flushed. Are you feeling sick?" Mrs. Weasley inquired.

"No, Mum, I'm fine, just a little warm."

Since she couldn't exactly glare past her mum, she had to settle with a mental glare and sulk, to which Harry replied with a mental chuckle.

_I'll get you for that too! _A grin would have crept across her face if her parents hadn't been there.

_Oh yes. I'll get you for that._

She began to send him a stream of mental ideas and images that shouldn't have been going through her head if she was the age that she appeared.

An even deeper blush spread across Harry's cheeks at the stream. Sirius, who had apparently caught on, feigned innocence. "Harry, what about you? You look quite flushed as well. Too much _heat_ in the room?" Sirius grinned so that only Harry and possibly Ginny could see him.

"Yeah, a bit. I'll be fine, though. Thanks for your concern." He said the last part so that only Ginny, Sirius, and perhaps the Headmaster would recognize the sarcasm.

Molly was feeling quite impatient.

"Albus, you said that it wasn't your story to tell. Whose story is it? When will they get here?" she said obviously annoyed now that it was clear that no one was sick.

The Headmaster chuckled.

"Molly they are already here." She looked around. "This tale is one of your daughter and Harry here."

Molly and Arthur were visibly shocked, though Arthur was the first to regain his composure.

_No surprise there. _Ginny commented_._

Harry let out a seemingly random chuckle, breaking the silence in the room. He stopped abruptly as he realized just what he'd done.

_Damn. That sped things up more than I'd hoped._

_Smooth, oh knight of mine._

_Shut it, you._

"Ginevra, _what_ is going on here?" her mother said, glancing warily between the two children.

"Mum, Dad, what do you know about Soul Bonds?" Ginny asked quietly.

This was met by two voices of immediate protest and confusion.

_Obviously quite a bit, _Harry deadpanned.

_Shut it, you._

_Yes, dear._

"Mum, Dad, hear us out, please?" Ginny said coolly, though with an obvious underlying anger.

"Of course we will, Princess." Arthur said, trying to pacify his daughter.

"But why would you ask about a Soul Bond, sweetheart? You're much too young to be thinking about those." Molly said, confused.

Harry felt Ginny barely hold back a growl.

_Shh. Gin, they don't know, remember? Give them a bit. _

_Fine. But I don't have to like it. _Ginny replied, agitated.

_No, you don't. _He patted her shoulder consolingly.

_Damn! I really have to stop doing things like that!_

_Yes, you do._

While Sirius and Professor Dumbledore both looked mildly amused, the Weasley parents did not.

"Ginny, _what_ is going on here?" Molly snapped.

_Harry…_

_Time, Gin. Give them time. We should tell them what's happening._

"Mr. Weasley, Mrs. Weasley. Erm, ah, well." Harry looked stricken, but summoned up what little Gryffindor courage he had left.

"Your daughter and I are a Bonded Pair." He finally blurted out, realizing a little too late that this was, perhaps, not the way that he should have broken the news to his in laws. Maybe the seven year old had a little control after all. No that was just the Gryffindor way, leaping before looking.

A look of outrage crossed the face of Mrs. Weasley.

"You're WHAT?" she shouted, causing the rest of the room to cringe. Mr. Weasley's look of shock at losing his little girl was much worse for Harry, though. He felt terrible, as though Firewhiskey had been forced down his throat.

"How in the name of Merlin are you Soul Bonded? The rumors must be true!" her voice was getting higher and louder with each word, oblivious to Harry's feelings of regret.

"You're going to be the next Dark Lord, aren't you, _Potter_?" she said menacingly. "That's how you got You – Know – Who to go away! Albus, this boy used Dark magic to trap my Ginny!" she screeched.

"Mum, stop it! Look at him! Look at how much you just hurt him!" Ginny shrieked.

Harry was looking down a look of regret upon his face.

Albus still contained his composure as Harry looked down. He had known that they wouldn't like him in this dimension. At least he had Ginny. And maybe Hermione and Luna too. Would Ron still like him? What about Fred and George? His thoughts were cut off as Dumbledore came to his defense.

"Molly, are you suggesting that a Soul Bond can be formulated with Dark magic? Their love is so pure, so strong –"he was cut off.

"How, Albus? Ginny Weasley has never met Harry Potter! Her silly little crush did _not_ turn out to be a Soul Bond. Ginevra Weasley, we are going home and you are stopping this nonsense." Mrs. Weasley said with a sense of finality.

Ginny was seething. Did she have any idea how much she was hurting Harry? Harry was too hurt to attempt to stop the fury of his wife. He wondered, briefly, if Mr. Weasley felt the same way.

The Weasley matriarch tried to rise from her seat, but Ginny wandlessly cast a Sticking Charm to the seat, leaving Molly looked rather like a goldfish. Arthur just sat there, still dumbfounded at it all. Sirius was barely concealing his amusement, but looked concerned for his Godson. He knew that Ginny would sort him out one way or another, so he wasn't too worried.

"It's Potter, mum. Ginevra Potter. Didn't you hear? We're Bonded. For life. This, in the Wizarding World, makes us legally adults in all ways and forms." Ginny said scathingly.

"So unless you want to be rid of me-"she was cut off by her husband, whom had realized that this could quickly get out of hand, and snapped out of his reverie.

"Shh, Gin. We have to give them the whole story. You know that they can't empathize with us right now. "he said, rubbing her shoulders soothingly. He was hurt that they thought that he was Dark, but they would, hopefully, know better soon enough.

"Mr. Weasley, Mrs. Weasley, would you mind getting into the Pensieve? We'll personally answer all questions afterwards. In the meantime, well, we have a _lifetime_ of memories to show you.

They were shown the same memories as Sirius and Dumbledore, plus a few more memories of the Dursleys, which Ginny had insisted would soften her mother like butter.

"_**Harry? Can you tell me what the capital of Britain is?"**_

Harry was in a year of muggle primary schooling. This was evident by all of the colorful large objects scattered across the room.

"_**London, Miss Curry." The skinny boy with the hand me downs replied.**_

"_**Very good, Harry. Is there anything special about London that you remember, Harry? Any landmarks?"**_

_**His face lit up.**_

"_**Well, there's that clock tower, Big Ben." He replied, proud to give an answer.**_

_**A fat boy sulked in the corner as the freak got some attention from the pretty teacher, Miss Curry.**_

"_**Excellent, Harry! You're very smart!" she said kindly.**_

_**Dudley's face was turning red. He would tell his father, he could straighten the freak out…**_

_**A couple of hours later…**_

"_**BOY!" Uncle Vernon shouted.**_

"_**GET DOWN HERE, NOW, BOY!" he yelled.**_

"_**Yes, Uncle Vernon?"**_

"_**What did you do at school today, boy?" the large man growled.**_

_**Harry was confused and a little frightened, but he answered the beefy man.**_

"_**Art, um, Physical Education, and Geography, sir." Harry replied meekly, scrambling to remember it all.**_

"_**Did you make my Dudders look bad?" the bulky male demanded before Harry could finish.**_

_**Harry searched his mind.**_

"_**I don't think so, sir."**_

"_**LYING, UNGRATEFUL BOY!" The man snarled.**_

"_**CUPBOARD, NOW, BOY, before I get you with the belt again!!" he bellowed, now the angry shade of a tomato.**_

_**Harry scarpered to cupboard, afraid and confused.**_

_**He didn't let the tears fall until all were asleep.**_

"_**What did I do wrong? Is it just that I exist?" **_

Sirius, who hadn't seen this memory, paled, remembering the comment about Snivellus that James had made, suddenly understanding Harry's reaction to the memory.

He turned to Harry, whispering, "Harry, your father was a great man. He was an arrogant arse for a while, but I guarantee you he was not a cruel man, okay?"

"I know, Sirius, it's okay. Thanks, Padfoot." Harry understood now, but it didn't stop it from hurting at the time.

"Anytime, Prongslet. Anytime…" the animagus whispered.

Similar memories were viewed, many leaving the Weasley parents and Dumbledore sniffling, and Sirius and Ginny the urge to curse the Dursleys.

"Sorry, Padfoot. Ginny called first hex." Harry whispered to his Godfather.

_Sirius can have first curse or jinx though, if he wants. We'll leave what's left for Remus and maybe my mum if she straightens up. _The redhead sent from across the Pensieve. She and her father, who had accepted most of what happened and was trying to cope with the facts of Harry's abuse, were examining a "fellytone" from the memory.

Dropping his voice to a lower whisper, Harry passed on the message.

Sirius let out a brief chortle. "Lily and James would love her, you know, Harry." Sirius said, for once in his life, seriously.

"I know. At least I like to think so." Harry said softly. He was watching her, red hair draped around her shoulders and freckles crossing her face, cute, but not quite the beauty that she would become.

The Bond remained silent for a moment.

_I love you, Ginny._

_I love you too, Harry._

Sirius just watched the scene, awed by the spectacular showing of love between the two individuals. If Molly didn't straighten out, he might just have to curse her _and_ the Dursleys. He truly hoped that it wouldn't come to that though.

Waiting until their smiles faded, Sirius commented, "You know, you look the same way that James looked at Lily, but it's more, I don't know, intense somehow."

"I love her with all of my heart." Harry said solemnly.

"I know." Sirius replied, gripping Harry's shoulder. "Trust me, I know."

"Is it that obvious?" Harry asked, curious.

"Definitely." Sirius answered.

"Good." Harry stated with finality.

The last memory faded from view as six people stepped out of the Pensieve.

--

"Oh, Harry. I'm so sorry! I had no idea, of course you aren't Dark, dear. I can see how much you love my daughter." Molly was scrambling to make it up to Harry. " A bit disconcerting on such a young face, though. I don't think that Ginny will be moving out anytime soon, even if you are old at heart. All the more reason not to, actually -" what had started as a heartfelt apology was quickly becoming a bit of a rant. Realizing that it wouldn't last very long or do any damage, Harry had planned on letting her continue, but her husband stepped in.

"Molly." Arthur started, speaking up for the first time since they had been out of the Pensieve.

"Molly, they're adults. You have to face it. Trust me, it's hard seeing my Princess grown up overnight, but we'll learn to accept it. Ginny, though I'd rather she didn't, could move out, and you wouldn't be able to do anything. _Nothing_, Molly. I don't want to lose my little girl so quickly." He said, tears prickling at his eyes.

"Oh, Daddy. I love you so much. Thank you." She said, wrapping her father in a tight hug.

"I'd rather lose part of my little girl now, then to have Harry and her lose everyone later on. Welcome to the family, Son." He said warmly, addressing Harry.

" You can call me Dad in this dimension, too if you'd like. I wouldn't recommend using it around people who don't know though, at least, not until you've known the family for a while. Molly?" he said coaxingly.

Mrs. Weasley looked ashamed as tears streamed down her face.

"I'm so – so- sorry, Harry. If you still want to, feel free to call me- call me mum. Please?" She sobbed, wrapping him in the bear hug that he had missed so much.

He returned it, and patted her back soothingly. He still wasn't fond of crying women, but Mrs. Weasley hadn't intentionally done anything wrong. They should have shown the memories first and let them learn about it that way. It was his entire fault.

_Harry, if you don't stop that right now…_

_Hush, Gin._

"Of course, Mum." He said softly

Harry's stomach rumbled as he continued to hug Mrs. Weasley, whose sobs immediately subsided to hiccups. "Harry James Potter! When was the last time those awful people fed you? And you, Sirius, have you eaten recently? Back to the Burrow, then! I have a breakfast to cook!"

This Molly now resembled the Mrs. Weasley that Harry knew and loved.

They all chuckled. Arthur addressed his wife, "Erm, Molly? It's only about three in the morning. I'm sure that Sirius and Harry will be alright with a snack, no?" he said gently. Getting in between Molly and her cooking utensils was a dangerous job.

She looked flustered a moment, then brightened. "I have just the thing! Back to the Burrow." she said, still just as determined to cook.

She had a mischievous glint in her eye, rather like Fred, George or Ginny when they were planning a prank. Harry had always known where they got that glint, but was so happy to see it again that he wasn't nearly as worried as he normally would have been.

Harry spoke up, "Er, Mum, Dad?" both Weasleys smiled at this, putting Harry at ease.

"Ah, if you wanted, to swing back to the Burrow, we can take people like that. It's much more comfortable. Only if you want though, I mean –"he began to stutter in nervousness again.

_I hate my younger body._

_Join the club._

"Oh Harry, we'd love to! So that's how Ginny got back to her room then." she muttered the last part.

Ginny hooked arms with her mum and dad, and Harry took his Godfather and the Headmaster as they headed back to the kitchen of the Burrow. The kitchen was essentially the same as Harry remembered it, still full of innumerable magical objects, Wellington boots, and dishes that washed themselves.

"Harry, Ginny, I didn't mention before, but that is simply a delightful experience. The most comfortable form of transportation I've seen yet, and extremely convenient." The Headmaster commented.

This was met by three nods.

"Erm, thank you, sir." Harry replied, obviously speaking for both of the pair.

"You are quite welcome, Harry. Quite welcome, indeed." The elderly man answered.

Remembering the reason for swinging to the kitchen, Mrs. Weasley shooed them out of her haven.

"Ginny, normally I'd let you help, but I want it to be a surprise for Harry, and with the Bond..." She left off.

"That's fine, Mum." The redheaded Potter replied. The pair neglected to mention that they could ignore the Bond if desired. Well, not if they spent _too_ much time apart, but it would have been easy enough for Ginny to help in the kitchen. Little did the Weasley matriarch know that Ginny despised cooking and baking. The pair shared a grin behind the now turned back of Ginny's mother. They could keep _one_ little secret, couldn't they?

Mrs. Weasley bustled out of the kitchen, almost immediately, pots and pans started clanging.

"Dad?"Said Harry, addressing his father in law.

"We don't plan on moving Ginny out of the Burrow for quite some time. If it's okay with Sirius, the two us are actually going to move into Lionfire Hall. I think that we put at least one memory of it in the Pensieve. It's actually in Ottery Saint Catchpole. You may not have known about it, there are a ton of wards. My dad grew up there, too. It's about a three minute flight from The Burrow on an older Nimbus at top speed. Just across the River, actually." Harry said.

"That's wonderful, Son. I honestly don't think I could handle losing my daughter right now anyway. You see, my brother, Bilius just passed away a few months ago…" he trailed off, tears sparkling in the corners of his eyes.

Harry looked down respectfully.

"I understand, Sir. Would it be too much trouble if Sirius and I could 'meet' Ginny's brothers?" Harry inquired.

Maybe he could start preparing the others earlier. Get them healthier, and fitter, expand their magical cores. Not too much though, they were still kids, really. What about Hermione though? He couldn't exactly walk up to her and ask her to get a wand to come training. Well, they would cross that bridge when they came to it.

"Not at all, Harry. Feel free to Floo or fly over whenever you like. When do you plan on telling the others about your, ah, predicament?" Mr. Weasley asked curiously.

Harry and Ginny pondered this for a moment. Which brothers would overreact? How would the Order or Dumbledore's Army respond? These were indeed things to consider. Remus would certainly need to be told as soon as possible.

"Well, we'll tell Remus in the next few weeks, no doubt. The other Order members may have to wait. We'll probably tell Bill and Charlie sometime next year, we'll wait and see on Percy and the others when we go to Hogwarts, presumably." Harry analyzed.

"That seems like a sturdy plan." Mr. Weasley approved.

"Excellent. Then would you mind accompanying Sirius, Ginny, and I to Gringotts sometime soon? I'd like to put our affairs in order with Gringotts." Harry inquired.

Harry was indeed ready to contact Gringotts. He wanted to befriend Griphook and the other goblins as soon as possible. In the years that the Potters had traveled the globe, a major aspiration of theirs was to learn as many languages as possible. While perhaps not living up to Barty Crouch Senior, they had mastered their share of languages, the least of which was not Gobbledegook. The pair had found it quite helpful when dealing with the Goblins.

As Harry completed his musings, a delightful smell wafted towards his nose. A scent that he had not been exposed to in a very, very, long time. He met Ginny's eyes.

_I love your mum._

_I know._

The redhead came bustling out of the kitchen with flour dusted in her hair and on her apron. An oven mitt hung loosely from one hand, as she addressed her son in law.

"Harry, would you be a dear and come into the kitchen? I have something that I think you'll enjoy. Oh, and Sirius you should probably come as well. Merlin knows what they fed you at that place…" she trailed off, shuddering.

"Well come along then, before it gets cold!" she exclaimed, perhaps a bit more shrilly than was necessary.

Harry and Sirius led the group into the kitchen, Harry grinning like a mad man.

On the kitchen table was Harry's favorite food, Mrs. Weasley's treacle tart. The smell floated to his nose, and he began gravitating towards the delectable treat. Just before he pulled out his chair, he looked the Weasley matriarch in the eye. She was clearly anxious of his reaction.

"Thanks, Mum." He said earnestly.

And with that he took a fork, a plate, and dug into the dessert that represented so much more.

A/N: Ok, so that is chapter 5! No cliffy this time. Lucky you! I know some people have expressed concern over the style of writing changing a bit as the chapters progressed. The major change was the amount of dialogue versus the amount of descriptions. Please consider that there were two people who had very little need to communicate and an extremely wise portrait. Not much to talk about, nor many to talk with. Then you have explaining to do as well as, at this point, three more people who are pretty confused. I'll try to include more descriptions for sure though.


	6. The Power of Periwinkle

Alright, all. I'm completely and utterly ashamed of my hypocritical behavior. YAY UPDATES FOR LIKE TWO WEEKS….and then is not seen for a year and a half. I really apologize, and won't bore you with excuses of workload, lack of sleep, illness, family issues, and the like. I will say that the plot bunny hightailed it out of my mind for about a year. But it is back, and with any luck, so am I! So…enjoy! For the record, _**please**_ reread chapter one if you have not – a minor thing has changed, but it greatly affects the plot of this chapter and all those to follow. Thanks! –ilikepie

It was just as the odd grouping of wizards and witches were getting into casual discussion when another small redhead began to awaken at the unnaturally early hour, a mere five floors up from the unusual assemblage. The youngest Weasley male was not known for awakening any earlier than say…two in the afternoon, unless thoroughly coaxed. Today, however, seemed different somehow. He had a hardened glint, perhaps, in his eyes, whence opened. The kind of determination that no child should be forced to bear. How then, one wonders, did this appear overnight? At this moment, dear reader, let us take a glimpse into the most recent memories of a Mister Ronald Weasley.

_**Spells were flying everywhere in the Death Chamber. Ronald Weasley, aged 26, stood back to back with his beloved, fearing for her life far more than his own. He noted a stray purple spell of Hermione's take off the head of some newly recruited Death Eater. **_

"_**Ha! 26 to 17, Ronald! Looks like you'll owe me more than a foot massage tonight!" Hermione jeered lightly over her back to her husband.**_

"_**Right, right, 'Mione. The battle isn't quite over yet, as you may have noticed from the blazing **_**light show**_** we have going on here, dear." Ron replied with a slight eye roll as he sent a nasty orange curse directly for another white mask. **_

"_**Bingo! Right on the money. 18!" **_

_**Hermione huffed as she put up a slight shield while using her spare wand to cast a sickly yellow spell towards an area that would likely hurt in the morning. In a tone far too innocent, Hermione questioned, "Is it alright if we add in creativity points? Because I imagine it'll be hard for Dolohov to, ah, **_**reproduce**_** with **_**apples**_** and a**_** banana**_** should he even survive this thing." **_

_**Ron winced as he continued dodging and casting. **_

"_**Low blow, 'Mione, low blow." He commented, shooting up a temporary shield for a curse heading towards his wife's blind spot.**_

"_**Ah. Nice catch, thanks, hun." She replied to his action, while adding with somewhat of a shriek, "Low blow?! Yes, because we all know Dolohov **_**always** _**played absolutely fair and square. Especially in that village two months, ago, Ronald! Weren't you the one –"Hermione was cut off as an explosion rocked the floor of the Death Chamber.**_

_**Waves upon waves of earth and air pushed forward from some sort of explosion in what must have been the middle of the Department of Mysteries.**_

_**Ron watched, as if in slow motion, a wave of earth and the debris of war rushed towards them, the shockwave itself pushing him and his wife backward into the Veil of Death, accompanied only by a flash of periwinkle light.**_

Ron awakened slowly at first to a room of obscene orange colour before suddenly trying to assess his situation as he had so long been trained.

"What the bloody hell is going on..?" he murmured to himself. He had no wand, was about the size he had been at age eight, and was in a room in a house he knew to have been burned down years past. There was no way all of that had been a dream...no bloody way.

"Hermione!" he whispered to himself again. If he had lost her…

He hit his forehead to his palm at his idiocy. Moody would have had his arse halfway to Timbuktu by this point, he was certain.

"Thank Merlin for 'Mione's emergency drills…" he muttered, and tapping his one of his bottom left molars with a whispered, "_Narro Phoenix Hotel Golf,"_ he opened the communication channel developed for whomever elite DA, or who was left by the time it was developed, would have known the password, with this particular channel keyed only to himself and Hermione.

Ron talked in a hushed tone, with no desire to wake any of his house members, nor even the ghoul. For possibly the first time, he thanked Merlin he was all the way up on the fifth floor.

"'Mione? 'Mione please tell me you're there. Mione!?" he asked frantically, wandlessly silencing the room so as to leave no doubt of his volume level. As a subconscious thought, he added a vague snoring sound to the weak ward, to keep any suspicion away. Maybe he could still do Moody proud after all.

---

Downstairs, a number of conversations were taking place simultaneously among a couple of couples, the current Headmaster of Hogwarts, and a recently freed canine animagus. However, 'Constant Vigilance' was rarely far from the front of the minds of a certain bonded pair.

_Did you notice that?_ Harry inquired of his other half.

_The silencing ward? Yeah. Probably Bill or Charlie…_ she trailed off with a mental shrug and somewhat of a suggestive smirk.

_Ah. Got it._ He replied, barely blushing as he continued his conversation with Sirius and the Headmaster about Lionfire Hall and the warding measures that should be taken.

---

"Ron? Ron! Well goodness what in Merlin's Pointy Hat took you so long?" she asked, obviously somewhat impatient.

"Erm. 'Mione. I was under the impression that we just. You know. _Died_. Veil of Death, and all that, you remember? And what in the bloody hell was that blue-ish light?!" he asked, uncertain of what he'd missed, and racking his brain in a futile attempt to remember.

"Think about this logically for a moment dear. When I pulled you aside a couple days ago-" she started

"Nice as that was, I'm curious as to how _that_ pertains to this conversation?" he replied with a slight smirk. He could practically hear her flushing.

"Not then, Ronald!" she hissed edgily, then with a slightly smug tone, "Although with the pitch of voice you have at this moment I'm sure it will be _quite_ a while before we get to enjoy something even _remotely_ similar." The smirk was obvious in her voice.

Ron, for a moment, was quite tempted to row over the magical communication device. However he knew that he had to calm down, at least somewhat, and so analyzed the Chudley Cannons poster in front of him for a moment to pull himself together.

"Hold up. A few days ago…blue light…this moment…time! You were studying time spells. That's what you did, isn't it then, 'Mione? You shot a time spell at the Veil just as we were pushed through Veil, didn't you? That was the final push it needed…the Veil must have been on a conjunction of ley lines! It all makes sense! That's my girl! Nicely done!" he cheered, with a fist pump in the air for good measure, grinning from ear to ear.

Beyond Ron's notice, at his still developing age, his magical core was still fluctuating, and so with the emotion associated with the sudden movement, he unknowingly, completely by mistake, took down his silencing wards.

"Well…yes, Ron. I made the spell a little too strong it seems though, so we're in…1988, I believe. But that may end up being for the better, I think. We have a few years before we go to Hogwarts, so we can train up a bit…" she trailed off.  
"It's brilliant, 'Mione! All of it. Remus didn't call you the brightest witch of your age for nothing. And…-"he stopped his sentence as a sudden realization made his heart drop to his stomach.

"'Mione…" he said in a distraught undertone, "'Mione what about Harry and Ginny? What about my sister? What about my BEST MATE?!" his voice raising gradually, not the least in anger, but in distress, to the point that, for one of the few times in his life as he remembered, Ronald Weasley laid on the floor and wept.

---

Harry mentally thanked Alastor Moody a thousand times over for making him study warding so intensely the moment the silencing wards came down again.

_Gin? _Harry questioned lightly.

_Yes, Harry, I'm listening up there as well-_

Through their somewhat improved hearing, they caught muffled words from a room quite a ways upstairs.

"Remus….brightest witch…our age."

Harry and Ginny glanced at each other, concerned and intrigued. Sirius, with his canine hearing, heard this as well, but Harry waved him a Marauder sign for 'continue as normal,' rubbing his left pinky finger with his right thumb, as was confirmed by a slight nod from the animagus. Merlin, the Marauders' books and possessions in the Potter Vault had been obscenely helpful over the years.

Harry began to formulate a plan, but was interrupted by the yell of a voice distinctly belonging to a friend long dead, albeit much higher pitched than it once was, "What about my sister? What about my BEST MATE?!"

Harry raised his eyebrows at this, but otherwise showed no outward signs of surprise at this unlikely turn of events. An American soldier who became somewhat close to Harry and Ginny towards the end of the war used to enjoy saying that there were no problems, only opportunities.

_Gin? I think we just ran into a _major_ opportunity. Thoughts?_

_Pull a Hermione. Think first year, before you guys had to get the Stone._

_I don't really have a choice, do I?_ Harry gave a mental sigh.

_Judging by the various facial expressions in the room, no. _

_And why can't you do this? _he mock whined.

Ginny gave him her best mental eyelash batting, _Because you're my knight in shining armour?_

Not even bothering to do it mentally, Harry mock-glared at Ginny as he tried to think of an alternative.

Finally, sighing, Harry repeated the words of a Hermione Granger that, in theory, did not yet exist, "I'm really, really sorry about this," and with that, he splayed his fingers and murmured "_Petrificus totalus,_" putting the four legal adults of the room in a full body bind, and Swinging with Ginny to the garish orange room they knew so well.

A/N: So it's a fairly short chapter, but I have the next one started and it seemed like the best stopping point, so WITH LUCK, I'll get the next chapter airly quickly. Again, I can't begin to apologize for the wait and hope you can all forgive me. I will try my best to get the next chapter up ASAP. Thank you all for your wonderful reviews as well as the constructive criticism that continues to be appreciated. If I've not responded to your Beta request, no worries – I haven't responded to any, as you may have guessed from my lack of participation with the story, let alone betas. I will assure you all that no matter what goes on, this story will not be abandoned!

Oh and Narro is apparently 'To translate' in Latin, Phoenix is just kinda standing for the Light side of the War, and Hotel Golf is saying HG [obviously Hermione's initials] if you're a pilot.

Thanks, and hope you enjoyed!

- ilikepie


	7. Redheaded Realizations

See A/N for apology at the end of the chapter….-runs fearfully from angry mob clamoring for author's torture for the ridiculous wait for an update-

Harry and Ginny took a moment to blink as their eyes adjusted to the obnoxious colour of the youngest Weasley brother's room while they took in the scene before them…and stood silently in shock.

In front of them lay the prone, weeping, eight year old form of one Ronald Weasley, known only to sniffle in the most horrid of occasions, crying profusely for no apparent reason.

_Ginny, dear? I believe it's your turn…?_

_Yes, yes, I've got it. You stay Disillusioned for now, alright? _

_Naturally._

"Ron? Ronnie? Whatsa matter? Did George and Freddy let a bludger loose…?" Ginny trailed off at the look of utter shock on her elder brother's face.

_GIN! Ginny! Hang on! Look at the thread of magic coming from Ron's mouth._

…

_No way. No way in hell is that a DA connector. Just what in the name of Godric's left-_

_I'm coming out now dear. Something is not quite right._

At this point, Harry Disillusioned himself with a sweeping gesture, further depleting his magical reserves. It was this, or perhaps the disconcerting feeling of Disillusionment, that allowed Ron to glimpse and register his face.

In that moment, Ronald Bilius Weasley connected what little distance was left between himself and his flooring, and slumped completely to the ground in a dead faint, with a single word on his lips.

"Harry?"

At this point, Ginny's vision became blurred as the golden strand of the DA connector, invisible to most, started wavering and vibrating madly.

Ginny frowned slightly as she examined the thread.

"Harry. Who fell through the Veil with Ron two years ago?"

"Hermione" he replied, with a large swallow as he too examined the, at this point, near blinding strand of magic emanating from a corner of Ron's now closed mouth.

"No effing way. No way in Merlin's bloody-"

Ginny cut into his spiel of shock, and with the arch of an eyebrow, suggested, "One way to find out. _Narro Phoenix Hotel Golf Duo." _As she connected herself and her husband to a strand of magic that shouldn't have existed for another decade and a half.

Harry spoke for the both of them with a half whisper-half sob of a friend long dead to him, "'Mione?"

And in response, he got a _thump_ from the other end of the connector, indicating that Hermione Weasley, had joined her future, and apparently present, husband into the land of blissful oblivion.

_Moody would be rolling in his currently non-existent grave if he heard this, but there's absolutely no way either of these people are Polyjuiced impostors, is there? All of the Death Eaters have been completely inactive for nearly a decade…_

_I hate to admit it…and Mad-Eye will have our heads if he hears of this…but I really think we should just revive them. Not with a DA connector, and not in this year and climate. It's almost irrational to even imagine they could be. Though I have to wonder if they're "our" Ron and Hermione…'Mione was looking into the theory of a parallel universe… before… wasn't she?_

_Hmm. I think she looked into time travel as well though. Don't forget that we're here partially thanks to her brilliantly meticulous note-keeping. She was just ruddy brilliant in general._

_You're telling me._

_True. Although I still wonder occasionally about her choice in spouse…_ Ginny gave a slight eye roll at this.

_This can be debated at a later point though, I believe, no? We're going to have four royally hacked off adults and two very confused apparent time travelers in a couple minutes. Can you grab 'Mione?_

_Naturally. Security question? _

_Won't hurt. You can figure something out, I'm sure. I'll revive this dunderhead, and if he doesn't respond well, I'll Blivy him. _Harry responded, using the term the DA coined for the act of Obliviating someone. Obliviation had become an unfortunate but necessary consequence of war. It often reminded Harry of the muggle movie involving men in suits and aliens, though the title was beyond him at the moment.

_Sounds like a plan. I'll put a mild sleeping spell on her parents, just in case._

_Good call. See you shortly. _

_I prefer the term 'petite.' _She replied with a hint of a smirk.

_Yes, dear. _Was his dry retort as she Swung to revive her longtime friend and confidante.

Harry stared at his first friend of his age with a sigh, and attempted in vain to repress the swelling hope in his heart.

Just to please Alastor Moody, wherever he was, Harry put his hand, as he had not yet acquired his wand, to his friend's throat, knowing if it was indeed just an innocent child he could just be Obliviated.

As he was about to restore Ron's consciousness, he took a moment to wonder if he and Ginny had not recently time-traveled, if that would have been the immediate conclusion to jump to from their friend and brother's recent outburst. With a shrug of general indifference, he kept his hand where it was and muttered "_Ennervate_," followed by a Silencing Charm and Body-Bind, for good measure.

Ron awoke immediately, and by the look In his eyes was slightly panicked. He laid eyes on Harry and his confusion was palpable.

"One wrong move and you will be transported directly to Azkaban, and assumed a Death Eater. Is that clear?" Harry said, forced, if menacingly. He just couldn't shake Moody's constant badgering, despite his suppressed hate of the morally questionable Obliviation tactics necessary to survive in a war climate.

Ron's assent to his requests was obvious, and though he doubted his friend's acquiescence, he released him nonetheless, his security question in mind.

"Wormtail is…?" Harry asked, knowing his friend's typical response to his former pet, and gauging this Ron's reaction.

"A traitorous rat bastard who deserved to die that night in third year. Still don't know what possessed you to do that, mate." Ron snarled.

With this confirmation of his friend's identity, he wrapped him in a brotherly hug that looked exceedingly out of place at their current ages.

"Mione did it, didn't she? She got the time travel all figured?"

Ron beamed with just enough pride to look out of place on his youthful face – a somewhat comical sight indeed – providing Harry with his answer.

"Blimey, mate. So…that makes you…what, 26, yeah?" Harry inquired, curious as to just how large this game of catch up was going to have to be played.

"Right. And yourself? Who's left up there? Please tell me you aren't old enough to have gone 'round the twist…I can only deal with so many lemon-drop bearing old blokes…"

_My brother dearest still isn't right in the head it seems…of course you're round the twist. Age was never a factor in _that_ matter…_

_Love you too, darling._

_Oh, I know. _

Harry sighed.

_You and your cheek._ _Now. Let me get back to your brother before he thinks I've truly gone 'round. More so than normal, if you must insist. _

_Have fun, dear._

_Will do. _

"…Harry? What's the muggle phrase? Houston to Harry? Hello?" Ron was clearly confused.

"Sorry mate. Zoned out there for a bit, I suppose." Harry said, shaking himself out of his reverie, and choosing to delay the news of his and Ginny's connection until Hermione could join her husband. It was moments such as this that Harry occasionally questioned the hat's decision to put him in Gryffindor.

"Not a problem mate. Fairly understandable. Needless to say, didn't think I'd be seeing you here anytime soon…and was that, ah, _our_ Ginny then?" the redhead queried, still in the dark.

"The one and only, mate. The one and only. Speaking of which, she should be returning any moment with _your_ one and only…" Harry trailed off as he checked in with his wife, who had already begun to fill their dearest bookworm in, having gone through a similar process as her husband.

_Yes, yes, we're coming. Give a witch a break, it's been two years!_

_No rush, darling. I was just checking in. Although, there is the slight matter of the body-bound people in your living room. Not that it's suspicious or anything. So…the sooner the better?_

_Oh Merlin…Mum is going to _kill_ us. Not only did we leave her in the dark…she just lost another of her children to the future_.

_Ginny, dear? I think she'll eventually be quite pleased._

_How so…?_

_Because, darling…it just means she gets to plan another Weasley wedding._

And so it was with a hearty laugh that Ginny Potter Swung Hermione Weasley into the Burrow of her youth.

Wow. So. Kind of choppy. And overall kind of sadly pathetic writing. I truly can't apologize enough, as it's been almost exactly a year since my last update, and you get this paltry scrap of work. I'll probably go back and edit eventually, but it's just a reminder that I'M STILL HERE I PROMISE. Life's been a pile of hippogriff droppings for the last year in terms of free time…or lack thereof…but I'm still here, and I WILL continue to update…eventually! Love to you all!


End file.
